Texas Manx Club

by **Faron** » 07 Mon Nov, 2005 10:46 pm

Here's the deal, I have Buggy body that will not except side pods from any manufacture that I have seen. The sides of my of the body come way down, so I am thinking about making my own. I am planning to Glue Styrofoam to the sides, and then sand it to the shape I want. Once I have it really close, I am going to lay the fiberglass over it. If I am correct the Styrofoam will hold the fiberglass & build strength. Has anyone ever tried this, or is this a stupid idea? :idea:

by **carlos del carpio** » 07 Mon Nov, 2005 11:18 pm

Styrofoam? I'm not sure..but I've seen shaping foams, that you can actually sand into the desired shape, etc.... I'm sure those would work!

I suppose the only problem would be getting both sides uniform! Good luck with that, take pics!!!

by **David O'** » 07 Mon Nov, 2005 11:45 pm

DO NOT USE syofoam, the polyester resin will melt the foam before anything sets up. Just take any small amount of fiberglass resin and put it in a syofoam cup (with the hardner) and yes you too can watch a cup melt into gue before your eyes.
You need to use urathane foam (great stuff in a can... is one way) and you can cut it with a hot wire or knife. Urathane is also the same stuff that you get at the local home builder supply....they use it in 1" sheet to insulate the outsides of homes!
You can glue it up using......yes fiberglass resin! I hope this helps!

by **Faron** » 08 Tue Nov, 2005 9:22 pm

Thanks for the info, I wondered if that would happen. Thanks for saving me from the frustration of gluing it up, and sanding it to shape. Only to watch the whole thing make a huge mess on my garage floor! The Foam you are talking about will be just as easy to work with right? Its not all bubbly, its more if a smooth surface, so it will be much easier to shape it up!
Thanks for the idea!
Faron

by **David O'** » 09 Wed Nov, 2005 12:23 am

Yes, the urathane foams are easy to work with. You can actually sand the stuff with a palm sander.....but be sure to wear a breathing mask! If you use the spray stuff, do not apply it real thick.....as it keeps expanding for a while. I helped my son do some sealing around his "first" home (newly married and all don't you know) and got too much in the cracks. The next morning....the door was stuck shut because it forced the wood jam into the door. Made me feel like a fool!
Any razor knife will cut the stuff or an old used electric carving knife will cut the stuff like it is butter (OK...but buy the wife her new one before you take the "old outdated unit to the garage) .......or she might just carve on you for a while. I have never understood why they get so mad when you use any "tool" around the house for double duty! LOL!
The foams can also be glued up in ways to allow you to not have to shape every piece from huge blocks.
Also, if you get the resin to cover both sides of the foam, you end up with what they call foam core construction. The strength of that type of construction is really quite remarkable! I hope that this helps!

by **Texasbuggys** » 09 Wed Nov, 2005 4:52 pm

http://www.texasmanxclub.com/VictoriaTX.htm try this link, it shows Carlons buggy which has low sides on it with a Pair of my pods molded and glassed in. The top had to be trimmed but the finished project looks great. Does you body look like this one? David O is exactly right, do not use strofoam, you wil have a large mess of ,elted gooey stuff. You have to make sure it is urathane foam only.

by **Faron** » 09 Wed Nov, 2005 10:32 pm

Yes mine is pretty close to that. Although that looks great, I think I am going to at least try to build my own! Great thing is, I know that I can count on this group to help me get through the process.

by **Buggy1** » 10 Thu Nov, 2005 9:01 am

I would think a lot of time and effort could be saved if you bought pods from Bobby at Texas buggys. The shape is there and should be easy to tape the pods to the sides and using a compasss draw along the side of your body onto the pods and then cut away a little at a time to get it as close as you can. I would put blue painters tape on the podes before trying to the get up there in and then draw on that. It will take several cuts but should be an easy thing to do.

I will be putting pods on the side of my F1 this winter and there will be a photo story in it.

by **carlos del carpio** » 10 Thu Nov, 2005 10:39 am

Yeah, start with a good set. You can shave a little at a time till they fit, or just 'under fit', then 'glass them in...

by **Faron** » 20 Fri Jan, 2006 10:43 pm

I bought 2 cans of Great Stuff Insulating Foam Sealant by Dow. I plan to start the experiment of my self made side pods this weekend. I am hoping that I can spray the Great Stuff Saturday night if I don't get home to late. Does anyone have any last minute advice? (Other then buy some side pods and cut them down?)

by **MURZ** » 20 Fri Jan, 2006 11:12 pm

I think you could fashion the front and rear of the pods out of wood or cardboard and then use sweatshirt fleece to sculptor the shape. Once you have the shape you want then it is a matter of soaking the fleece with resin to set it up. The next step is to reinforce the structure with real fiberglass to strengthen. Check out the 12volt.com to see how the stereo guys having been doing just this for the last 5 or so years. Awesome.
MURZ

by **Faron** » 21 Sat Jan, 2006 12:08 am

That's a great idea Murz, I will have to try that for the box that will use behind the seats. Check out the How to I found via Google! Come to think of it I could use this idea on the side pods as well. That way I could use some kind of cloth to start the Resin. THANKS AGAIN! YOU ROCK!
http://www.teamfocus.us/speakerbox.htm

by **bobaganoosh** » 21 Sat Jan, 2006 9:56 pm

I was actually going to do a similar box for my wifes new beetle just for show. put it in for shows and take it out when she drives daily so she still has the storage room

I saw them building boxes like that on overhaulin one night and started thinking about building one. after doing some glass work on my buggy I'm in no hurry to build that box.

mike

by **Faron** » 22 Sun Jan, 2006 10:32 am

Yes messing with Fiberglass sucks, but when you are finished it is worth all the effort. I am going through a couple of slow months at work, so production on my buggy is going to slow way down for a little while. So I will be looking for stuff to do to it that is inexpensive. Fiberglass is kinda cheep to mess with, so I will probably do all the stuff I was thinking about doing. But would of let go because it was to much work, and showed little progress. Ohh well hopefully it just means that I will have a better looking buggy in the end, because I went that little extra!

by **Faron** » 30 Thu Mar, 2006 1:05 am

OK here is your chance to say I told you so! HaHaHa so jump on it guys! I have made a HUGE mistake by trying to build my own Side Pods. I think I am going to cut all this pshaw I did off, and buy some side pods. It will look cleaner in the long run. I should of listened from the beginning! Beat me up guys! Now is your chance!

by **carlos del carpio** » 30 Thu Mar, 2006 1:31 am

I just give more respect to the guys who do fiberglass free-hand...

by **Hawk** » 30 Thu Mar, 2006 7:19 am

Faron, I have a set of pods for a long body low side. I will be at Ennis helping Greg and David. If you want them I can get them to Ennis.

by **Faron** » 30 Thu Mar, 2006 5:52 pm

Great how much?

Texas Manx Club

Side Pods???

Side Pods???

OK

Here ya go

hummm

Side pods?

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